Dear Heloise: I have a warning for those who don’t know everything about computers! At 63 years old, I nearly allowed someone to access my computer. While I was trying to print a recipe, my computer froze, and a big alert appeared on my screen. It showed a phone number for Windows tech support. Unfortunately, I made the call.

I was on the phone with someone who wasn’t in this country. He asked a lot of questions, like “Does anyone else use this computer?” This seemed odd to me.

I gave him no personal information. He said my IP address was at risk. I could hear other operators in the background. Soon he was able to move the cursor on my screen. I was feeling suspicious, so I asked him if he worked for Microsoft. He said “yes.” He sounded impatient, though, and I had a bad feeling. So, I hung up. He called me back four times, and I blocked the number.

The program that he installed (and I removed) looked official and was called “Rescue Me.” My advice is if you ever get a warning with a phone number that instructs you to call, don’t! Instead, close your browser (using the alt + F4 keys) or restart your computer. Microsoft would never post a phone number instructing you to call them. — M.H., Spokane, Washington

M.H., thank you for this piece of advice. Many people have a limited knowledge of computers and sometimes believe the person on the phone is there to help them. Sadly, this isn’t always the case. Here at Heloise Central, we always caution people to never give out important or personal information to strangers. — Heloise

BOOZY HAIR

TREATMENT

Dear Heloise: I’ve been a hairdresser for more years than I care to think about, and one of the major problems I get at least once a week is product buildup. You can eliminate this by combining 2 tablespoons of vodka with 2 cups of seltzer. The bubbles in the alcohol and seltzer will wash out the product buildup.

This method is only used as a treatment after washing your hair with shampoo. It helps your hair achieve a nice shine.

Also, I always like to mix a 1/2 cup of vodka with my shampoo to keep my hair shiny and keep down product buildup. I pour the vodka in the shampoo bottle and shake it before each use. — T.G., in Florida